To Yale! Or is it Brown?
by ninjasandbacon
Summary: College decisions are about to be made. According to Dan, he's going to Yale and Serena's going to Brown...or is she? DanxSerena
1. Acceptance Letters

Dan clasped Serena's hand nervously. College acceptance letters had arrived today and he was more than scared. Serena sat next to him and squeezed his hand reassuringly, trying to hide the fact that she was nervous too. Her letters were stacked in a neat pile next to his. The two had decided to open them together, in the confines of Dan's room. Rufus was sitting in Dan's desk chair, his hands together as if he was praying. Jenny was perched on the edge of Dan's bed, her eyes darting from Dan to the letters.

Serena kissed his cheek, attracting his attention. "Do you want me to open mine first?" She asked softly.

Dan shook his head and reached for the letter on top of the stack. Dartmouth's familiar insignia was clearly visible on the big envelope. He slit the envelope open and pulled out the letter. Not wanting to look, he handed it to Serena who took it in her manicured hands and started to read it aloud.

"Dear Mr. Humphrey, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Dartmouth University.." She set the paper aside and hugged him. "You got in!"

"Dartmouth! Looks like you really impressed J.L. Hall, Dan." Rufus said, beaming as he took the letter from Serena to examine it.

"Can I open the next one?" Jenny asked, her eyes shining with excitement. Dan nodded and handed her the next envelope.

"Ooh. NYU, the one dad wants you to go to." Jenny smiled and ripped open the envelope. "Dear Mr. Humphrey, Congratulations! You have been selected for admission for the Fall 2009 semester at New York University!"

"Now you can stay home with me and Jenny!" Rufus joked, laughing. His brown eyes were aglow with happiness and pride for Dan.

Dan pushed the next envelope towards his father and watched as Rufus ripped it open excitedly. "Columbia. Dear Mr. Humphrey, after reviewing your application, we are sorry to inform you that you have not been chosen.." Rufus trailed off and looked at Dan, who merely handed the last envelope to Serena.

"Can you open it for me?" He asked, his warm brown eyes pleading. "But..its Yale." She said, glancing at the crisp white envelope marked with Yale's familiar blue insignia.

"I know. That's why I want you to open it." Dan said, wrapping an arm around Serena. "Please?"

Serena smiled and shot a quick glance at Dan before sliding her fingernail into the flap. Quickly and effortlessly she opened it and slid out the letter. It seemed amazing how one piece of paper could have such a big impact on their lives.

"Dear Mr. Humphrey," She started off in a shaky voice, eyes darting back to Dan. "We are pleased to advise you that you have been accepted at Yale University!" She handed the letter to Dan, who took it with shaky hands before passing it to his father in disbelief. "I got in." He muttered slowly.

"Go Dan!" Jenny said, high-fiving him. "Dartmouth, NYU and Yale!"

"Three out of four ivy league schools." Rufus muttered incredulously. "I'm so proud of you!" His cell phone buzzed and he whipped it out, frowning as he read the text message. "They need me at the gallery, but celebratory dinner tomorrow, since you're going to be at Serena's. Oh and call your mom. She'll be thrilled." He clapped a hand on Dan's back before leaving the room, a smile on his weathered face.

"I'm so proud of you." Serena murmured, kissing him the moment Rufus left. He smiled and kissed back, forgetting about his sister for a moment.

"Ahh!! My eyes!!" Jenny said, covering her eyes and laughing. "If you're gonna be all mushy, I'm leaving." She exited the room, but not before throwing in a large package. "It's from me and dad."

Dan unwrapped the package and discovered that it was a large bundle of college t-shirts and sweatshirts. "Um, wow. This is a lot." He set the package aside and pulled Serena's stack of letters closer. "You ready?"

Serena bit her lip, suddenly nervous. "I...Yeah. Can you open them? All of them?"

"Okay," Dan picked up the first envelope and kissed her forehead, his warm lips on her cool forehead. "This one's from Brown."

Serena snuggled into his side as he ripped open the envelope, sliding out the letter. "Dear Ms. Van Der Woodsen, we are pleased to tell you that you have been accepted at Brown University!" He set the letter aside and kissed her again. "Congratulations. Your dream college."

"Mmm. Thank you. Now come on! Open the rest!" Serena shoved the stack towards him impatiently.

The next one was Harvard. "Dear Ms. Van Der Woodsen, Congratulations! You have been chosen for our Fall 2009 Semester."

"Dear Ms. Van Der Woodsen, we are sorry to inform you that you have not been accepted at Princeton University.." He stopped and set it aside, frowning.

Serena rolled her eyes and shoved the last one towards him. "C'mon. Open it!"

"Yale? I didn't know you applied to Yale." Dan said, his brow furrowed.

"I wanted to surprise you." Serena said, her knee bouncing up and down impatiently.

Dan slit open the envelope and read the letter aloud. "Dear Ms. Van Der Woodsen, We are pleased to advise you that you have been accepted at Yale University!"

"Yes! Now we can go to Yale together." Serena said, a grin tugging at her lips.

"Right." Dan said, pulling her close. "Congratulations, Serena. I'm so so proud of you."

"I love you." Serena muttered, eyes closed, head tucked in the crook of Dan's neck.

"I love you too."

Serena's eyes fluttered open and she kissed Dan on the jaw. "So which shirt are you going to wear tonight at dinner?"

Dan raised an eyebrow and tucked a tendril of blonde hair behind Serena's ear. "I thought it was a tie event."

"It's just dinner." Serena said, laughing at his befuddled state.

"But aren't all dinners with Bart a tie event?" Dan asked, wrapping an arm around Serena.

"Good point." She mumbled sleepily, her blonde hair fanned out around her.

"I have to stop keeping you awake at night," Dan said, kissing her forehead. "You really need to get more sleep."

"No!" Her eyes opened to reveal bright green orbs. "I like to stay awake with you. Its fun."

Dan rolled his eyes and kissed the top of her head. "Get some sleep. I'll wake you up in an hour."

Serena closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of Dan's warm arm around her. Slowly she drifted off to sleep, dreaming of...Yale?


	2. A Very Convincing Argument

**A/N: Okay, so last chapter I forgot to do some stuff which I'm doing now. I want to thank Calie for editing, re-reading and basically requesting that I made my drabble into a full on fic. I couldn't have done it without her. And also thanks to Keri(Serenavdw) because this idea came from her story. So thanks and review lol. **

Dan and Serena were at dinner in the Palace Penthouse with Lily, Bart, Eric, Chuck, Blair and Nate. It was a somewhat celebratory for getting into college. It was slightly...uncomfortable as all dinners are with Bart.

"Daniel, congratulations on getting into Yale." Bart said, attempting to smile at Dan. "Its a very nice school."

Dan tried to pass off his bewildered expression as one of enthusiasm. "Thank you Mr. Bass. I originally wanted to go to Dartmouth, but they poached Yale's entire writing program."

"I'm so proud of you," Serena said, putting her hand on Dan's. "We can go to college together now."

"Didn't you want to go to Brown?" Lily asked, taking a sip of her wine. Well okay, more than a sip.

"She does. She's not going to Yale with me. Its not what she really wants." Dan cut in, before Serena could even open her mouth.

"_Actually_," Serena glared at Dan before continuing. "I am going to Yale with Blair, Chuck and Dan. I've wanted to go for a while, I just didn't tell anyone."

"She's lying." Dan blurted out. "She's going to Brown."

"Yale!"

"Brown!"

"Cabbage Patch, let her make her own decisions." Blair said, fingering her necklace.

Dan glared at her as he slid a hand onto Serena's thigh. "Serena, you want to go to Brown."

"Yale."

"Brown." Dan said, ignoring the raised eyebrows of Lily and Bart as he rubbed Serena's thigh.

"Yale." Serena said, this time a little fainter.

"Can we please stop arguing about this and eat the dinner?" Nate demanded, looking annoyed. "You guys can have your fight later."

"I'm sorry. It just seems that my boyfriend thinks it's up to him to decide which college I'm going to." Serena said firmly, trying to ignore the electrifying feeling of Dan's now warm hand on her thigh.

"I just don't want you making one of the most important decisions of your life based on.." He was leaning over whispering into her ear, his hand edging dangerously higher, tracing circles along her inner thigh until he could feel her twitch. "This.." He finished, his finger lightly brushing over her panties, before he removed his hand unceremoniously from her, and placed it back on the table.

He placed his pure white cloth napkin up on the table and breathed out a deep breath. "If you'll excuse me, I have to go to the bathroom.

Receiving a brief nod of approval from Bart, Dan pushed his chair out and began walking away, not before teasingly giving Serena's thigh another touch.

Serena watched his smirk as he walked away. Damn the whole Yale/Brown argument. She wanted him right then and there.

"So Nate, what college are you going to?" Lily asked, drinking more wine. **A/N: In the show, you ****always see Lily with a glass/bottle of wine lol**

"BU. For lacrosse."

Serena stood up. "I'm gonna go make sure Dan isn't lost. Excuse me, I'll be right back."

She strode off in the same direction Dan had gone in. Making a left, she entered her bathroom and opened the door brusquely.

"Serena, what are you doing here?" Dan asked, zipping up his pants not looking at all shocked.

"You're an ass."

"You really tore yourself away from that fascinating dinner just to come up here and tell me I'm an ass?" Dan washed his hands and looked at her, smirking.

"Yes." Serena folded her arms and glared at him, not smirking in return. "You're an ass" she repeated in the same harsh tone. Knowing there was something else she wanted to say, Dan dried his hands on the crisp white hand towel as he looked at her, eyebrows raised; waiting.

"A very hot ass."

"Thank you, I was waiting for that" He smiled and nodded.

"That I'm going to college with." The smile was wiped from his face as he looked in disapproval at her.

"You're going to Brown, Serena"

"Yale." Only her lips moved as she corrected him.

"Brown."

Just as she was about to say the college's name once again in the same voice, Serena thought otherwise and took a slow step towards Dan, biting her lower lip in seduction. When she was standing in front of him, close enough to hear and feel his warm breath on her, she lifted her arm a little and ever-so-lightly allowed two fingers to tickle his lower stomach through his shirt. She felt his stomach muscles clench and heard the change in his breath as she whispered as sexily as possible the word "Yale" into his ear.

"No. Serena, stop!" He reluctantly pushed her away, regretting his action as soon as he let go of her.  
"This isn't one of your games, this is serious. It's your future, and you don't want to blow it on your desire for…for what we have. You can't choose your college based on - "

"Oh can't I?" Her voice sultry, she remained calm despite the raising of his voice, and once again stepped back towards him until her chest was almost touching his.

"You know I think I can change your mind on that one…" she continued, her face only centimeters away from his own; she was talking right into his lips. Serena placed her hands on his lapels, holding them tightly in her manicured hands, and stared her deep emerald eyes into his chocolate ones.

"Nothing… is going to… change my mind, Serena." The words staggered out of his mouth, his voice ragged and deep.

"Really?" It surprised him that her lips didn't brush against his as she said it; she was unbearably close to him and knew she was teasing the hell out of him. It was payback for his taunting actions at the dinner table. She slowly but expertly slid her fingers over his chest and up to his top button, not taking her eyes off of his.

"Serena, we're supposed to be at dinner." Dan tried to mumble coherently, as he went to take her hand away from his neck.

"Oh… so you don't want to be here… right now… with me?" Serena whispered, pulling back just slightly, eyes still fixated on his, and her hands remaining where they were, allowing his to touch her own.

Dan groaned as threw his arms around her waist aggressively and pushed her back against the tiled wall. A subtle smirk remained on her face as he pressed his mouth against hers, not hesitating to insert his tongue as soon as she let him. Her hands began to work rapidly to undo the rest of his buttons, his moved from her lower back to her thighs, pausing to cup and lightly squeeze her behind on the way. He maneuvered them around to the front of her smooth upper legs, and slid his clammy hands up under her dress, the feel of the thin material of her panties causing him to plunge his mouth against hers even harder. She ripped open his shirt, desperate to feel his naked torso against her own, as she could already feel his hardness against her lower stomach. One hand moved to the back of his head and tugged on his hair as the other unbuckled his belt all on its own.

If either of them were asked at this moment in time what they'd been fighting about just three minutes earlier, it's likely neither Dan nor Serena would have been able to answer the question. They were so lost in the heat and the passion; all feelings of disagreement escaped them. All they wanted was for their bodies to be as one; working together like clockwork as they had so many times before.

"Take it off," she murmured, as Dan's hands were restricted by the material of her dress as they tried to reach the full breasts he knew so well.

Without responding, so as to keep his lips locked with hers as much as possible, Dan quickly took his hands out from underneath her garment, and moved them to her back to undo the zip. Realizing there was no room between her and the wall, Serena ripped Dan's shirt off and threw it to the side, before turning him around and violently pressing his bare back against the tiles. Her hands ran feverishly across his upper body and his neck, and she tilted her head to place rough kisses under his ears and on his collarbone. He undid the zip down her back, and utilizing the freedom that gave, grabbed the hem of her dress and pulled it up and over her. His mouth was wide open as she returned to attacking his neck, and he took some time to feel all that had been concealed by her dark blue Ralph Lauren.

Her hands traveled down his back and her fingers pushed at the entrance to his belt-less pants. When she realized she could only getting under up to her thumb, she brought her hands round to his front and roughly, and literally, broke them open. The feeling of his arousal told her he didn't have a care in the world that she'd just broken his trousers. She pulled them down and pushed herself against him, moaning at the feeling. Their mouths began to duel with one another once again as her hands gripped his behind, reveling in the feeling of its tone through the warm Old Navy's, pulling him as close to her as she could.

His hands managed to untangle themselves from her messy blonde locks in order to grab the back of her bra and not so much unclasp it as rip it off. Immediately he began to massage her full breasts, and not thinking she could hold on much longer she removed his underwear and he did the same to her, the feeling of her panties sliding down her legs making her shudder.

Their kisses were now broken as they panted at the contact of their anatomy. Dan placed his hands under the back of her thighs and squeezed them as he lifted her up and she wrapped her lithe legs around his waist. He pushed her against the wall and mauled at her neck, the sound of her heavy, stuttered breathing filling his ears. Her hands aimlessly shifted over his sweaty torso and firm arms, before eventually stopping on his waist where they clenched at him wanting more. The sensation of her perfectly-trimmed fingernails digging into him encouraged him to do what he had been waiting for since his wandering hand had adventured under the table at dinner.

He pulled his head out from her neck and their eyes met, as she managed a small nod and leaned down to kiss his swollen lips. He lifted her higher to position her above him, and entered her warmth with an involuntary groan. She swore and repeated his name over and over as he thrust into her with no holding back. Her arms around his neck, she moved with him thrived in the feeling of his mouth trying to kiss her neck. To neither of their surprise, it didn't take long before she was demanding more and shaking around him, and he was working as hard as he could to please her. Their releases came in unison, as they clenched their eyes shut and moaned together.

Serena was left completely limp on top of him, and Dan was afraid he'd drop her with his knees as weak as they were. He walked with her still clinging to him over to the counter where she sat trying to catch her breath. He used his quivering fingers to lift her chin, leaning in to place a lingering kiss on her engorged lips. He proceeded to continue kissing her all over her cheeks, forehead and neck, the salty taste of her sweat satisfying him.

"We really need to get back to dinner" she mumbled.

He responded with a chuckle and a nod, "You mean dessert." He joked, picking up their various items of clothing that were sprawled across the floor.

She couldn't help but laugh her famous four-year-old laugh as she reached out her hand in request for her dress.

The two dressed quickly, and rushed back out to dinner, failing to see that four of Dan's shirt buttons were missing and his trousers kept slipping. They entered the dining room to meet the stares of Lily and Bart, the smirk on Chuck and Eric's face, Blair's raised eyebrows and Nate's laughing face as he ducked into his napkin pretending he was coughing.

"I..um..found him?" Serena offered, her face turning a deep scarlet color and she and Dan quickly took their seats.

Chuck coughed out something unintelligible and Eric, who was sitting beside him, quickly stifled his laughter for fear that his mother would turn and glare at him.

Lily set down her napkin and looked at Serena. "Serena, could I have a word with you? In the hallway?"

Serena blushed, and attempted to find a way to escape. "But..dessert's here." She stammered for lack of a better reply.

"And it will still be here when we get back." Lily shot right back, watching with a triumphant smirk as Serena stood from her seat and followed her out.

Chuck watched Lily leave and said, "So how was my stepsister?"

Dan turned a deeper shade of red and dug his fork into his cheesecake.

**Remember, reviews are like chocolate. They make me happy! :)**


	3. Goodbye

"So what'd Lily talk to you about earlier?" Dan asked, fingers loosely entwined with Serena's.

"Oh um, she told me not to leave the dinner table to have sex and um to use protection. Which reminds me, please tell me we used a condom last night." Serena said, a red blush sprinkled across her face.

"Uh...you're on birth control, right?" Dan asked, turning away from his book to look at her. His eyes were serious as he looked at her. They haven't had a real pregnancy scare yet and he wasn't ready for one.

"Yeah. That...yeah." Serena blushed and pecked Dan on the lips. "Don't worry about it, kay?" She rubbed her hand up and down his arm, feeling his muscles relax.

"Okay." Dan replied reluctantly, turning back to his book. "Oh and by the way, you're still going to Brown."

Serena rolled her eyes, sighing. "Dan, I can go to Yale if I want to, okay? Please just let me make this decision by myself."

He put his book down, not even bothering to mark the page. "Fine, but if you're going to make this decision by _yourself_, that means you don't use our relationship as a reason to go to a college."

"Fine. _I _want to go to Yale."

"Any reasons why?" Dan raised his eyebrows

"The campus is beautiful." Serena retorted, smiling at him.

"That's one." He replied easily.

"My best friend is going there and we've never been separated and we're not going to be."

"Two."

"I'm afraid that you'll fall for some hot book club girl and forget all about me." Serena admitted, starting to list fears instead of reasons.

"Three. And it won't happen. I'm completely heads over heels for you." Dan whispered, kissing her on the cheek.

"I'm afraid of being alone. All by myself in a campus where I don't know anyone."

"Four." He said quietly, eyes locked onto her.

"I...I don't want you to leave me. Not now, not ever." Tears from her insecurities welled up in her eyes. The feeling of him wrapping his arms around her made her slowly choke out the tears. "I want to be with you, Dan. Where ever you are."

"I know." He whispered, rubbing her back slowly. "I know." He let her cry into his shirt for a bit longer before tucking both of them under the covers so he could hold her quivering frame tighter. "You know how I feel about this, love. I want the best for you. Even if it means sacrificing _us_."

"Why do you have to be so noble? Can't you be selfish for once, Dan?" She begged him, her hands clutching his shirt. "Please."

"I'm not noble." He whispered, licking his lips. "If I was noble, I'd let my girlfriend go to the same college as me instead of making her cry like right now. If I was noble I wouldn't even consider letting you be alone without me because I know it'd be hell on both of us. I'm not noble."

"Can we just stay here and not make any decisions today? Please?" Serena pleaded, tears starting to slow.

"Okay. What do you want to do?"

"Will you read to me?"

"Read? Like what – a bedtime story?" He chuckled lightly, pressing a kiss to her forehead as she nodded. "Okay, what story?"

"Can you make one up? I just want to hear your voice." Her request came out small and childish.

"Sure." He brushed a lock of hair away from her face. "In a land far far away, there was a girl. Her name was Serena and she was the most beautiful girl ever, with long blonde hair and the most amazing green eyes. On top of that she was also a princess. A lot of Princes liked her, but she didn't like any of them. They weren't real enough for her. So one day she met a boy. His name was Owen. Owen was unlike all the other Princes because he was really nice. He was just a normal boy inside a Prince's body."

Serena giggled and he rolled his eyes at her before continuing. "Serena immediately took a liking to Owen, partly because he reminded her of someone she knows in her dreams. A guy named Dan. Owen and Dan were a lot alike. Both were artistic in some way, good looking and down to earth."

"You're not Owen?" Serena asked, her voice full of confusion.

"No. I'm Dan." He said, kissing her again. "A few months later after many dates, Owen and Serena fell in love. Real true love. They got married six months later and Serena was the happiest she could be. She went to Brown with Owen and they lived happily ever after. The end."

Serena looked up at him, eyes showing the betrayal she felt. "Is that how you imagined my life without you?"

"I just want you to be happy." Dan muttered, tracing little circles on her arms absently. "I don't want you to wake up one day and realize you could have chosen a different path. A path that would ultimately make you happier. Like dating Nate or something."

Serena sat up, her frame stiff. "You're pushing me towards one of my best friends?"

Dan sat up as well, trying to sooth her. "No of course not. But you know."

"No I don't know. Care to elaborate?" Serena said harshly, glaring at him as she threw the covers off of her.

"I want what's best for you, alright!? I don't want to drag you down!"

"Have you maybe considered what's best for me is you? Or maybe that _I'm _the one dragging _you _down?" Serena yelled, pushing him away when he tried to hug her. There was no way he could sweet talk his way out of this. "You know what, Dan? Just- Just go home!"

Dan raised his eyebrows, arms crossed against his bare chest. "I live here."

"Then I'll leave!" Serena made a move to cross over to his window, ready to use the fire escape down.

"No, no, no." He stood in front of it, blocking her path. "It's late and you'll freeze to death anyway. I don't want you attacked on your way home. Come on Serena. Let's just go to sleep and talk about this in the morning. Okay?"

"Move Dan!" She tried to shove him out of the way, but he didn't budge. Not even a little. Trying another tactic, she hissed at him. "I am not sleeping with you tonight."

"You're sleeping here – or else you get your heart back." He said firmly, stopping her trying to move him.

"What?!"

"Don't tell me you forgot." Dan said, reaching into his pocket. "You gave me a heart on my birthday. _Your _heart. The one I carry with me every single day." He pulled it out, the small silver heart with the engraved _Serena_ facing her. "That day, I told myself that the only time I would ever give it back is if we truly broke up."

"You don't mean that." Serena whispered, arms dropping to her sides. "You wouldn't."

"Go to sleep, sweetheart." Dan said, slipping the heart back into his pocket and enveloping Serena into a hug.

"I hate you." She whispered, nails sinking into his back. "I hate you Daniel Humphrey."

"You don't mean that." He said confidently, voice wavering slightly. He kissed the top of her head. "Please just go to sleep darling."

"No." The word was spoken faintly, but he heard it clearly all the same. "I'm leaving."

He held her tighter, bringing her closer to the bed. "Please Serena." He begged.

"If you're going to give me back the heart, you might as well do it now." She slipped into the bitch mode that living in the Upper East Side had taught her.

"I was bluffing."

"I'm not." The words were coated with a layer of ice. "You wanted me to be happy. So now I can be. And I'll go to whichever college I please."

Wordlessly, he pulled away from her and dropped the heart into her open palm. "Okay."

"Okay." She echoed, eyes searching his sad ones. "Goodbye Dan."

She turned to leave, but he caught her wrist. "Can I just say one thing?"

"What?"

"In that story no matter how much Serena wanted to know the guy Dan in her dreams, he wasn't real. I want you to be happy – and find your Owen."

"In this story, Dan _is _real. And sometimes Owens aren't enough." Tears pooled in her eyes as he let go of her wrist.

"I guess we'll have to make do, won't we?" He smiled sadly at her, his heart breaking in two as tears fell down her face.

"But we don't _have_ to." Serena's resolve crumbled as she watched tears appear in his eyes.

"Maybe." Dan said simply. "The offer still stands if you want to sleep here tonight."

"We can't keep having this same fight over and over again."

"I know."

She collapsed into his arms, the hot tears branding his chest like irons. "I'm sorry." She sobbed. "I'm so sorry."

"Shh...you don't have to be. Let's just not talk about college for a while okay?"

"Okay." She buried her face into his chest. "I don't hate you."

"I know."

"Will you-" She licked her lips, ticking his skin. "Will you make love to me? I-I need to forget about this. All of this."

"No." He muttered, pulling her onto the bed. "Forgetting doesn't make it go away. Sex is not going to make anything better." He pressed a kiss to her temple. "I love you okay? And nothing is going to change that."

"Okay."


End file.
